Looks Can Be Deceiving

This past Sunday, I was asked to speak and sing for the congregation at Wynndale Baptist Church in Terry. The pastor specifically asked that I prepare my speech based on 1 Peter 3:1-7. The pastor wanted me to concentrate on the importance of inner beauty which is outlined in that scripture.

Afterwards, an older gentleman came up to me to thank me for coming and speaking to his church. "After meeting you, hearing you speech and hearing your heart, I'm not gonna believe all those things I've heard about you," he said. Surprised, I asked him what had he heard about me? He proceeded to say, "I've heard you control everything down there at WLBT--you control the news, the weather, the sports, the commercials, you even hire and fire folks!" I had to laugh and assured him I was there to only be the chief meteorologist and we have many other people in place to direct the other aspects of the television station (after all, if I was going to be the boss, shouldn't I get the boss's salary?!).

Yesterday, I received this email from someone in the church:

I am not good at words, but I just want to say THANKS for coming to Wynndale Baptist Church yesterday. I really enjoyed what you had to say and it really made me think about my life. Plus I have to confess I have been guilty about saying things about how you look sometimes on the TV. I am sorry and I hope that what you said yesterday I will try really hard to apply it to my life. THANKS AGAIN!!!! Signed D.T.

Isn't it funny how we can have preconceived ideas about people? When you see someone dressed sloppily or someone who doesn't have the best hygiene, we immediately think "homeless". When the prophet Samuel was sent to find a king, God chastised him for not looking at the whole person. 2 Samuel 16:7 says, "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." The chapter ends with Samuel anointing the boy David to be the next king.

Judging people on their outer appearance or believing what we're told about someone before we know the truth is human nature. Next time you're tempted to do so, remember "The Lord looks at the heart."